I'm a new owner of a cheyenne. I start a fire with charcoal and the temp is 150-250 I have two temp gauges like a loaded whitcha they are in this range one is high one is low my digital thermeter on the grates is about 190 max... I have been only cooking with charcoal should I put fire wood on to cook with. I have been opening a closing the damper...PLEASE ADVISE WHAT TO DO TO BRING UP THE TEMP... To cook a small chicken I'm going on 3 hours and I have a temp of 155 F...
Mark
To get the temp up, get more air on the fire by opening your vents and add fuel. Pre heated splits will give you clean heat.
Here is a great post that will help.
In short, start your fire with one or two small spits and some lump charcoal to get a quick start on a good coal bed. Once temp is reached, feed with a can sized diameter stick every 45 minutes or so.
Always start with your exhaust vent wide open and your fire box vent mostly open. Close the fire box vent incrementally to control the temp.
I only play with the exhaust vent to work on controlling airflow and getting more consistent temps. Even then it is never more than half way closed. Usually airflow is a good thing for clean, light smoke.
They say a small hot fire is better, but maybe more work. Playing with these things is the fun of an offset. You will find that you get a better product burning mostly if not all wood.
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Mark, I have been smoking for years, starting with cheap smokers, using my weber kettle, and finally buying a Yoder Wichita last year. My advice, be patient.. Check out the linkTcircleT attached. I use a base of lump charcoal to get the fire started, and add hickory splits to get the smoke rockin. I bought a third of a cord of hickory from a landscape company instead of buying lumps and chips form home depot. Use the fire to get the smoker up to temp, the heated steel will maintain a nice temp for most of your cook, you will just need to add some wood and charcoal from time to time. It takes a few smokes to get it right.
I for one almost never bbq without the exhaust vent fully open. I use the firebox vent to control temps. Each cook is abit different depending on outside temp, wind and humidity... But yes, I only use charcoal to get the fire burning and had hickory to get my temp up. I wait 2 hours before adding meat so I can get a good steady heat built up. I may add charcoal from time to time to get a quick rise in temp when I just cant get enough airflow to keep it steady. Other than that I use wood during the whole time. Mostly Hickory and some added cherry. Some say that cooking too long with wood will taint the meat but keeping the exhaust stack fully open will give you a good clean smoke.
JThis is just what I do, but as stated 'an offset smoker takes time to learn and that is the fun of it for me!!!
I just bought the book, 'Franklin Barbecue - A Heat-Smoking Maifesto' and it easily has the best fire building tips that's I've ever see. From what types of sticks to use; to using certain patterns to get different temperature outputs. It also contains recipes, proper equipment, and everything in between!
Pick up this book... Well worth the money!
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